Hubcap



Oct. 28, 1952 P. D. BECKER 7 2,615,759

, HUBCAP 2 Filed June 16, 1949 lNvNfroR: PH\L\P D. BECKER, WM C. PM

ATTORNEY.

Patented Oct. 28, 1952 HUBCAP Philip DLBecker, Hlngham, Mass, asslgnor to United-Carr Fastener Corporation, Cambridge, Mass., a corporation of ,Massachusetts Application June 16, 1949, Serial No. 99,423

3 Claims. 1

vision of a wheel-retaining hub cap assembly for carriage and like vehicle wheels wherein means are provided for quickly releasing and removing the Wheel.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of a quick release mechanism for carriage and like vehicle wheels which may be disposed in the hub caps frequently used with such 7 wheels.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a wheel-retaining hub cap assembly for carriage and like vehicle wheels which may be quickly and easily released merely by pressing parts of the assembly together.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a wheel-retaining hub cap assembly which is simple and economical in construction, positive in operation, and easy to install and remove. I

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent to persons skilled in the art from a consideration of the attached drawings and annexed specification illustrating and describing a preferred embodimentof the invention.

In the drawings- Fig. l is a vertical cross-sectional view of the wheel-retaining hub cap assembly mounted on the axle of a carriage or like vehicle;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the wheel-retaining ratchet;

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the wheelretaining ratchet taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the ratchet clamping ring;

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the ratchet clamping ring taken on the line 5-5 of Fi 4; Fig. 6 is a plan view of the button cap; and

Fig. '7 is a cross-sectional view of the button cap taken on the line 'l-'I of Fig. 6.

Referring now to the drawing, the numeral I0 denotes the wheel-retaining hub cap assembly of the invention for retaining a wheel II of a carriage or like vehicle on an axle I2. The wheel II may be of any suitable type such asawire wheel having a hub I3, spoke ring I4 mounted In accordance with the invention ,the improved wheel-retaining hub cap assembly I0 may desirably comprise a bearing or back plate I6 secured to the hub I3, a ratchet plate I1 releasably engaged with the axle I2 and adapted to bear against the back plate I6 to retain the wheel II mounted thereon, and a pressure plate or button cap It! held in position over the end of the axle I2 by the bearing plate I6 and movable inwardly in response to pressure applied thereto to release the ratchet plate I! from engagement with the axle l2.

The bearing plate I6 may desirably comprise a flanged bearing portion I9 apertured at 20 to receive the axle I2 and an annular rim, portion 2I extending laterally from the flanged bearing portion I9 and having tabs or projections 22 adapted to secure the button cap I8 in mounted position as will appear more clearly hereinafter. The bearing plate I6 may be mounted loosely on axle I2 and retained thereon and in abutting relationship with the spoke ring I4 by the ratchet plate I1.

The ratchet plate I! is preferably made of a resilient material such as spring metal, and may desirably comprise an annular body portion 23 having inwardly extending locking fingers 24 and outwardly extending pressurefingers or projections 25. The locking fingers 24 curveinwardly from the body portion 23 in converging relationship and areprovided with convexly curved end portions 26 adapted to engage an annular groove 2'I in the axle I2 to retain the ratchet in assembled position thereon. Two or more of the fingers 24 may be used as desired, two being shown for purposes of exemplification.

The pressure fingers or projections 25 extend outwardly from the body portion 23 in diverging relationship with the fingers 24 and are adapted to be pressed inwardly by the button cap l8 to pivot the body portion 23 counterclockwise against the flanged bearing plate I6 as a fulcrum to swing the fingers 24 out of engagement with the annular groove 21. This, releases the ratchet from the axle I2 and permits the ratchet and wheel to be removed from the axle.

In order to facilitate such pivoting movement the body 23, between the fingers 24 and 25, or if desired the entire body portion 23, is preferably curved in cross-sectional shape with the convexly curved portion 30 thereof disposed opposite:

the flanged bearing portion I9 of the bearing:

plate Hi. This permits the body portion 23 to rock on the flanged bearing portion 19 so that it may readily be pivoted by inward movement of the projections 25. Pivoting movement of the body portion 23 and outward swinging movement of the fingers 24 is further facilitated by providing relatively large rounded recesses 31 between the fingers 24. v

The fingers 24 may be swung outwardly from engagement with the groove 21 by the button cap or pressure plate l8, which has a flange 3 adapted to contact the outwardly extending projections 25, and a dome-shaped portion 33 adapted to cover the outer end of the axle 12. The button cap l8 may extend through an opening 34 in a hub cap 35 and is held in assembled relationship with the bearing plate [6 by bending the tabs 22 inwardly over the flange 32.

In the assembled position oi the device shown in Fig. 1 the wheel II is retained in position on the axle [2 by engagement of the body portion 23 of the ratchet plate I! with the flanged bearing portion I9 of the bearing plate IE, the ratchet plate 12', of course, being secured on the axle I2 by engagement of the spring fingers 24 with the groove 21. If it is desired to remove the wheel H, the button cap or pressure plate I8 is moved inwardly so that the flange 32 thereof contacts and presses the fingers 25 inwardly toward the bearing portion [9. This causes the body portion 23 to pivot on the bearing portion 19 as a fulcrum to thus swing the fingers 24 outwardly out of engagement with the groove 21. The wheel H and wheel-retaining hub cap assembly I may then be slid to the right and removed from the axle.

It will thus be seen that the present invention provides a simple, economical and highly effective wheel-retaining hub cap assembly which may be easily and quickly mounted on or removed from an axle.

Various modifications of the invention described and illustrated will most likely occur to those skilled in the art to which the invention relates, and may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, the scope of which is indicated in the attached claims.

I claim:

1. A wheel-retaining hub cap assembly for retaining a wheel on a grooved axle comprising a resilient ratchet plate having a body portion, a plurality of locking fingers extending inwardly from said body portion for engagement with said groove, a plurality of pressure fingers extending outwardly from said body portion in diverging relationship to said locking fingers, a backing plate mounted on said wheel inwardly of said ratchet plate and having a portion thereof adapted to contact said body portion, and a pressure plate mounted outwardly of said ratchet plate and movable inwardly into pressure contact with said pressure fingers, said backing plate serving as a fulcrum for said body portion whereby inward movement of said pressure plate against said pressure fingers causes pivoting of the body portion to release said locking fingers from engagement with said groove.

2. A wheel retaining hub cap assembly for releasably securing a Wheel on an axle comprising a bearing plate and a pressure plate, rim means for maintaining said plates in superposed relationship, and a ratchet plate having a body portion radially spaced from and circumferentially disposed about an axis in engagement with said bearing plate, a plurality of resilient locking fingers extending radially inwardly and away from said bearing plate and adapted to engage a groove of an axle to secure the assembly thereon, and a plurality of pressure fingers extending radially outwardly and away from said bearing plate and providing end portions in engagement with said pressure plate, whereby upon the application of compressive forces to said plates said locking fingers are caused to swing radially outwardly.

3. A fastening device for securing a wheel on an axle comprising a bearing plate, a pressure plate, rim means for maintaining said plates in alignment, and a ratchet plate having a pair of spaced fulcrum portions in engagement with a face of said bearing plate facing said pressure plate, a pair of resilient locking arms extending angularly inwardly toward each other and away from said bearing plate and said fulcrum portions, and a pair of pressure fingers extending angularly outward from each other and away from said bearing plate and said fulcrum portions to dispose their free ends in engagement with said pressure plate, whereby the application of pressure tending to bring the bearing and pressure plates togeth r will cause equal and opposite pressures to be applied to said pressure fingers and said fulcrum portions and thereby cause said locking fingers to spread outwardly away from each other to release said locking fingers from a groove of an axle with which they may be engaged.

PHILIP DhBECKER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Great Britain Dec. 29, 1944 

